For all of you who have a multimeter thrown in a drawer or toolbox but don’t know how to use it, these instructions will help in your search for missing voltage.

With the multimeter set up across the bulb, you have put the meter in parallel with the bulb. Since the ammeter setting has low resistance you get a BUNCH of electric current going through the meter.

One of the simplest tasks a digital multimeter can perform is a basic voltage test on a car battery. Positive and negative terminals, hooked up to the car or not, will give a base number.